Control valve for low water alarms



Mar h 1933- H. w. comma-row 1,900,37

CONTROL VALVE FOR LOW WATER ALARMS Filed Feb. 13, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet l r Elia 1? 2 H Fi 6 IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y.

March 9 ,H. w. CODDINGTON- 1,900,379

I CONTR OL VALVE FOR LOW WATER ALARMS Filed Feb. 13, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lL J 15 14 Fig. 4

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

March 7, 1933. H. w. CODDINGTON CONTROL VALVE FOR LOW WATER ALARMS Filed Feb. 15, i932 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

\\ Poi N C. ObnJG-TON A TTORNEY.

Patented Mal 7, 1933" I hearse sr TesfP -rENr 'oFF'icE I i w. cobmi\iero v,dor n momvmeii e ooii' rnorivhnvn'roniiowwA'rEnALARMs I I vAliplication filecl Iebreerv13,2193? seriai nepezaos,

This'invention relates to low water alerrns nation and arrangement of parts aswill be end-is particularly adapted"for'vlocomotiveYherein described yend'cla-imedh i I boiler rise, although it is also .useful wi-thfg I The. eccornpenying drawings showe presteam boilers of other types. It has to, do ferredernbodiment' of the invention." As it 5 sg'r-ecifieallyjwith means for temporarily mod is particularly intended for useon' locomd;

uleting-or stoppingth'e sound 'ofthe alarm tlveboilers the-drawings show 'it applied-to j whistle or other alarm eleinentet times when such a boiler in connection with a lowijwater such sounding is annoying or undesirable. alarm ot the thermostatic type. The detail The principel'object of the invention is operation of'theparticulzrr low water alegrm provide a valve mechanisniin thewhistle'line, shown in thes wings maybe leernedj'by whereby the-sound olthe whistl'eimay be re reference to the patents to Kedel et aL, duc'ed when desired, without therebyjeopard- -#1,127,010fend #1,181,316. "It will beunderi izinej the normal operation of the device andstood, however, that the present invention is p v the full sounding ofthe alarm whistle at subequally'edeptedfm S f s y esand" i sequent times of low water in the boiler. fypeSOflOW WELT/GI" hemmed its use is-not irkllfillll'el' object-is to'provide' a whistle cutlimited-to alarms for; locomotive boilers;

out valve which is operable or controlled by Referringjto the v drewingsywhich show a the locomotive attendant to cut off or diminpreferred embodimentof the invention, Figish the flow of steam to the whistle and which Dre 1' is transverse Vertical'sectionthrough I will be self-restoringto fully Operi P0sit 0n a 3 this' View being taken substan' I i.

' tendantand which will-be held closed by View Of the valve andFigure 4 an end eleve- Y m Another object is to provide whistle he' whistlewp p ngi Figure 6 is a fragmen- "9 able'pressure from steamior other fillld s lustlated 1n these d fl the YPe as soon as thesupp'ly. of steemis cut offet. tielly onthe line of Figure'S. Figure the alarm hw 21s a Partial trensverse'vertical section tak- A. f th bje t i t id a histle enat right angles to Figure 1, and on the control valve which may beclosed by theat hne y y of Figure 3. Figure 3is a plan steam presimre attempting to flow-through h F g e '1 e' a r mmatie p the same, end which will 'arrton etically reivl w ishowing a: fragmentof a bOiIeDW i h a V turn to Open positiqn a as th t m low wat'er' a-larmi mechanisln thereon and Y with thelpresent control valve in pl'acelin pressure tells off.

trol valve which will it zilltirnes'rernein in f e y i al s c i nalvi'ew similar to Fig open positiomexcept when deliberatelyclosed s' Slight m ca n :O the p i I: if

. by the attendellle. end will their remainf m nr e -f. 1

closed position only-if, and so long-es, suit e f f da the p l alarm 1 present against the valve member.

p p shown in "the patents to Kadel etell the boil A still further, object is to iPIQVide a 00m? er :crowmsiheet m ed 01 the I V bined elerin releinent con-trolvalve and drain 3 1 l f i k g t i to -l 3 fluld tolhe'alarm.element inglei er zit 1 66 and the am'm v m: 237 and at 1511? mm im P the i j 108 re presents the steam coiinection from the d nsa 9 h atmospherle' d i.Y?- boiler to theelerm valve and 109 the stea1n k of v eh may be. l dnld l yd p d ta 1 line from the alarinvalveto the whistle 110.

9 1 to fi f l lll 't fl w f vThere are also shown the test pipe 112 test t e e e m flu t erm men w hjout' valve 113',- and'jashut-off cock 114. It-'wi11: redr cingoi stop 111g O f th lm lag p not be necessa-ry'todescribein detail; the opmg the a mosphere. 1 V ereti'on of the low ,Wtiiltfllfllfil, suffice it'to With these end other; ob ects n VlQW' the say that at times of lowwat-er the valve 107 i Y 9 Invention 5 QffOI111tLtlOn 'CQmbh is opened andsteamfrom' the boiler-is ditpiston against the upper'seat i P p r y 16 and the leakage around the stem 1 1 are smaller ineffect than theinlet 5.,thre will be abundant pressure in thecavity to holdthe When thepiston 2 is againstthe seat 7, the ma or portion of the steam that; passes through he valve 107 'whenthe latter is open 2 by means of the lever 4. 7 hen the condition' of low water nolonger exists, the parts should be in their normal positions. The hole 9 may then constitute a telltale whereby the engineman may know Whether or not the pie I ton has droppedto its desired normal pos'i tle will sound atfull volume.

' the whistle to cause even a subdued sounding J Ito the alarm" element, and an orifice of .re-

,dueed, size through.- said valve. means a small but greatly pressure fluidtion,

tion. If it has dropped, then when a subsequent condition of low water ofccursth e whis- But, "if for any reason, the'p'iston failed to drop and remains in its upper position, quent low water condition will result merely in a subdued sounding of thewhistle, possibly enough to attract the attention ofithe attendant and incite him to an investigation.

Att'hesame time, leakage at the valve 107.,Will not cause even a subdued soundingof'jthe whistle when the piston? 1s in its upper posi that results from leakagewill, undersuch conditions, ,pass principally from the inlet "5 opening 16 and pipelll toethe the opening 9 not being direct enough of such steam to through the atmosphere, ficient size to thereof.

In Figure 6 is showna slight modification of the valve, where a by passaperture '18-is provided around the'valve seatf7; In this modification the hole 9 may be omitted from the piston 2, and the. necessary piston clear ance will bejprovided sof that suflicient' l'e'ale the piston will take place 1 age of steam past to give the desiredsofttoneto the whistle when the piston is in raised. position against the seat 7. This construction,i'in

hole 9 is omitted,will result in less wastage of steam when the piston is inits normal or alarm is sounding,

lowermost positionfand may 'be advantageously employedwhen it is not desired to.

utilize the size of the hole-9 to-control or de termine the normal tone of'the whistl.

It will be noted that-the valveseat8 com prises, with the bottom of the piston 2, means forfshutting off the leakage of: steamaround the, valve stem 10 when the piston is heldby steam pressure in itsvnormal or lowermost position. This is desirable. to'prevent leakage, cab when the all steam and condensate passing at such times tothe ash pan through of steam in: the locomotive the pipe 111.

sounding or,

then the subseelement,

inasmuch as the'small amount of'steam "alarm valveto which the There has thus been described a preferred the spirit thereof; 7 :What is claimedis:

1. Afluid-pressure control valve for low 7 water a-larms,1including a body having an inlet opening for admitting fluid pressure from the alarm valve and an outlet opening element, and: valve means inside said body,

pressure fluid from the alarm valve to the alarm "element through said control valve and to be held in said position by thepresence of fluid pressure'inside the body thereof, and

. an orifice of reduced size around said valve means whereby. a amount 'o faflui'd may escape means tothe atmosphere "when said valve means is in the small predetermined first mentioned position. g

2;A fluid-pressurecontrol valve for low water alarms. including a body; having an said valve means striated passage of pressure fluid from, the

v the alarm element through said control valve and to be held in said position'bythe'presence of fluid pressure inside thebody thereof, said valve means being arpast said valve adapted forv fluid connection with the alarm inlet openingfor admitting fluid pressure fromthe alarm valve and an outlet opening adapted for fluid connection with'the alarm- I and valve means inside said body,

being arranged to lie normally in a position to permit free and unreranged tobe manually moved to a second po-.

'sition'to'cut ofl the passage of pressure fluid whereby ings, ;one of the latter leading-to: the alarm I y elelilflnt and the other therefif'jto the atmosphere, ,said; control, valve including valve means arrangedso that pressure fluid pass-v ,i

ing into said control valve from the alarm valve Wlll at all times I r both of said outlet openings, said valve means through the .respectiv'efontl'et openings; I

be directed through 1-. that is directed being:arrangeditobe actuated to change the pr'oportions of the flui fluidpressure'conduit between the alarm valve" and thealjarm" element, said control valve having an inlet .and. two .outletopenings, one-of thejlatter' leading to the alarm 105 c diminished supply'of I will be directed to the alarm element whenthe valve means is in the said Y of said outlet openings, said valve means he- I n minor portion of the pressure fluid is directvalve and thewalarm element, said control valve having aninlet and two outlet openings one of the latterleading to the alarm element and the other thereof to the atmosphere; said control valve including valve means arranged. so that pressure fluid passing into said control valve from the alarm valve will at all times be directed through both ing' arranged to lie normally in position to directthe' major portion of the pressure fluid to the alarm element, and to be moved manually into a position where 'aminor portion ofthe pressure fluidis directed to the alarm element. 7 v V V r lliriifluid-pressure control valvev for low er alarms adapted forinsertion in the "pressure conduit betweenthe alarm valve and the alarm element, said control valve having'; an inlet and two outlet openone of the-latterleading to the alarm element and the other thereof to the atmosphere, control valve including valve meansarranged so thatpressure fluid passing into said control valve from the alarm valve will at all times be directed through both of said outlet openings, said valve. 40

m uswbleing' arranged to lie'normally'in position to direct the magorportmn of the pressure fluid to the alarm element, andto he moved manually into a positi'on where fa edtothe alarm elemcntiand tobe held in siich position by thefluid pressure and to return automatically to the first mentioned normal position when the supply of fluid pressure ofi. I I I I 7. A fluid-pressure controlvalve for low 'water alarmsfadapted for insertion in the fluid passageway between the alarm valve I andthe alarm element, said valve embodying hollow body with an inlet and two discharge i'openings, one of the latter being arranged for fluid connection with the alarm element and the other thereof leadingto the atm0soh 0, apiston arranged across the cavity of the said body, said piston being arranged between said discharge openlngs and adapt- I occupy a position at either end of said avltiy and to be held in said respective posiions by pressur from said lnlet openlng,

saidpiston when in one position comprising valve-means for lpartlyclosing oftthe'flow' offiuid pressure to the alarmelement.

- 8. YA fluid-pressure control'valve forlow water alarms adapted for insertion in the tive positions bypressure from said inlet opening-saidpiston when in one position comprising VaIVe'm'eans for partly closing o'fi the flow of fluid pressure to the alarm ele- V ment andiwhen in the ,otherto the atmos phere, beingadapted last mentioned position, and to automaticaltonormally occupy the ly return .thereto with falling off of pressure inside the valve body, and'being movable manually into the. first mentioned position. 9. A fluid-pressure controlva-lve for low water alarms adapted for insertion in the iiuid passageway between the valve and the alarm element, said valve embodyinga hollowbody with inlet and two dis charge openings, one of the latter being arranged for fluid connection with thealarm element-and the-otherthereof leading to the atmosphere, a piston arranged across the cavity of the said booy, said piston being arranged between said {discharge openings and adapted to occupya position at either end of said cavity and to be held in said respective positions by pressure from said inlet opening, said piston being provided with means external of the body ofthe control valve whereby it may be manually shifted into one of said positions where the flow of fluid to the alarm elementwill be restricted and at. the same time the discharge to the atmosphere through the other discharge opening-not decreased. y V. v In testimony whereof I aiiixmy signature.

1 v HARRY W. .CODDINGTON. 

